California · Family Code
FAM §7823: (a) A proceeding under this part may be brought if all of the following requirements are satisfied: (1) The child has been neglected or cruelly treated by either or both parents.
What this law says, in plain English
A legal proceeding under this part may be initiated when a child has been neglected or cruelly treated by one or both parents.
Read the full statutory text
(a) A proceeding under this part may be brought if all of the following requirements are satisfied: (1) The child has been neglected or cruelly treated by either or both parents. A finding that a parent committed severe sexual abuse, as described in paragraph (6) of subdivision (b) of Section 361.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, against the child shall be prima facie evidence that the parent has neglected or cruelly treated the child within the meaning of this subdivision. (2) The child has been a dependent child of the juvenile court under any subdivision of Section 300 of the Welfare and Institutions Code and the parent or parents have been deprived of the child’s custody for one year before the filing of a petition pursuant to this part. (b) Physical custody by the parent or parents for insubstantial periods of time does not interrupt the running of the one-year period.
Verify at the official source: California legislative text
Facing this? Know exactly what happens next.
MOFRD turns this code section into your situation: the deadlines that apply to you, the forms your county uses, and the resolution paths people in your position actually take. Free for 3 days — no card required.
This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.